Protecting Her
by WindowChild
Summary: Set right after HBP. Ron comforts Ginny, after Harry tells her that they can't be together.


Ron stumbled into the burrow, feeling dazed. It felt like one of the longest days of his life, and it was hardly three yet.

"Ron?"

He stood awkwardly in the doorway, feeling distracted.

"Ron?" Hermione said, catching his attention as she touched his sleeve. He drew back in surprise, looking up at her. She pointed over at Molly, who had called his name the first time.

"Ron, dear," Molly said, "Bill and Fleur will be coming to stay here on Monday, to help with the wedding plans. And – Ron, are you even listening to me?"

"Hmm?" Ron said. He had been watching Ginny, who had entered impossibly quietly, and scurried up the stairs.

"Ron!" Molly snapped. Hermione gave a little jump, and Ron turned his attention back to his mother.

"As I was saying," she continued, pleased that he was listening, "Fred and George are coming for dinner tonight."

Ron shrugged. He felt incredibly drained from the morning's events, and wanted nothing more than to lie down for a few hours. However, his mother's gaze told him that wasn't going to be happening any time soon. "Alright?" he said, prompting her.

"So clean up a bit, will you?" Molly said, her voice reaching it's prized soprano pitch.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Mum, it's only Fred and George. Half the mess is theirs from when they stayed last. For Merlin's sake…"

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley said, sharply. She stared him down, waiting as he squirmed his consent. Once he did so, with a frown and a grumble, she turned to Hermione.

"Do you think you'll be staying here, dear?"

"I – I don't know," Hermione murmured. Her voice was shaky, but there was a certain determination about the way she kept her posture locked so perfectly upright. "I haven't spoken to my parents yet."

"Well, tell me once you do," Molly said. "And Ron, get Ginny down here, will you?

"Come on," Ron whispered, resisting the urge to take Hermione's hand and pull her. "Let's go up to my room."

"Alright," Hermione said, hesitating as she glanced back at Ron's mum. "Are we going to clean?"

"Course not," Ron whispered, once they were out of earshot. "But she may as well think we are."

Hermione gave a little smile, and Ron imitated. He would follow her lead, then. If she acted like it was okay to be happy again, then he would be.

"How's Harry, do you think?" she asked, after a moment.

Ron shook his head, inhaling. "Dunno." He stuck his hands to the sides of his robes, both of them considering their friend. "The Order's planning something, aren't they?" he asked. "For what to do with him?"

Hermione nodded. "I would guess so, yes. And Ron," she made sure their eyes met, made sure he knew how serious she was, "We should do some planning of our own."

"I know," Ron said. "We should. Maybe not today, though? It's almost over anyway, and I've got to bloody mop my room."

She smiled again, and Ron felt strangely proud. He liked that he was cheering her up.

"Not today," she agreed. "Soon, though. We haven't got so much time anymore."

They settled side by side on Ron's bed, fresh out of things to talk about. Their plan for the year, but that was waiting until tomorrow. Their current relationship… but no, Ron wouldn't dare broach that just yet. And all lighter subjects felt out of taste, due to the circumstances. They sat in silence, for a good sixty seconds or so.

"Your mum wanted you to get Ginny, didn't she?"

"Oh right," Ron said. "Will – will you be okay here?"

Hermione's smile widened, revealing her teeth between the gap in her lips. "Ron, I've been in your room before."

"Right. Well, I'll be back in a minute." He gave an awkward wave, sidestepping down the hall to his sister's room.

"Ginny!" He banged on her door with his fist, kicking it lightly when she didn't answer. "Ginny? Mum wants you."

"Don't – don't bang," she shouted back, after a moment. Ron was about to retort just as loudly, when he realized that she sounded the tiniest bit upset. Or more than a tiny bit, but for Ron it was an accomplishment to notice at all.

"Ginny?" He was softer this time, turning the doorknob before she could tell him to go away.

"Ginny…"

She was sprawled on top of her bed, a pillow unceremoniously tossed over her face.

"Is – is something wrong?"

"Godric no Ron, whatever gave you that idea?" she replied, her voice muffled.

Ron shook his head slowly, marveling at her ability to remain sarcastic when she was crying. He winced. That was what she was doing, then? His ears reddened, thinking about how terrible he was at consoling people. Including his family members. No, _especially _his family members. Then, thinking of Hermione, maybe not. He'd comforted her, hadn't he? Taking the odd form of confidence in his stride, he perched beside Ginny on the bed.

"What happened?"

"I'm not telling _you,_" she replied. She continued to sob into the pillow, beating her sweaty palms against them. She looked nearly deranged, and Ron considered getting Hermione.

"Why not, Gin?" he asked, trying to sound serious rather than annoyed. "I'm your brother."

She panted for a few seconds, and then sat up. Ron was taken aback, seeing her eyes so red and her cheeks wet. Ginny was not the weeper of the family.

"Every time I talk to you about boys, you run off and tell Fred and George," she said, drawing her knees up to her chest. "And I don't want them to know about this." Her voice warbled, and a few more tears shimmied their way down her face.

"I'm sorry Ginny," Rod said slowly, feeling Hermione would be pleased with his tact. "I promise I won't tell them, alright?"

"You promise?"

"Yeah," Ron said. He wouldn't, too. The twins had given them all enough trouble over the years; he understood Ginny's desire to keep them out of it.

"Harry and I aren't together anymore," she said flatly. Her mouth quivered downward as she spoke, and it was obvious that she was ready for another good cry.

Ron hardly noticed though, as anger pervade his veins. "That bastard," he muttered, his voice dark.

"Ron!" Ginny said, calming down enough to look entirely shocked. "Don't say that, it's not –"

"Yes, it is!" Ron shouted. He sprang up from the bed, furious. "He swore he would be good to you."

"He was," Ginny pleaded. "It's just, he has other things to do. Brave things."

Ron also missed the way her eyes shined when she said this, a smile gracing her lips in spit of it all. Whatever else was true, Harry would always be her hero.

"I don't care," Ron said, even as he realized that these 'brave things' were things he and Hermione planned to partake on, as well. Did Ginny realize that? Would she cry like this, when she found out that her brother was leaving too? "If he was good to you, then why are you so upset?"

"Because," Ginny said, her defensive vigor fading away. "I miss him, a little." The last part was a lie, and she could hardly bear to say it. She gave a little sniff, before hiding her face in her hands.

"What was that?" Ron said, scooting closer to her. She had tried to speak through her sobs, and was unsuccessful.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, looking up and staring into her brother's face. "I'm sorry, Ron."

This broke his heart, a little. What did she have to be sorry for? It was he who should have been more careful, about who he let her date.

"Don't be," he said, shortly. "You shouldn't be."

The sheer tears clung to her lashes, giving her the odd appearance of royalty. She smiled a through her tears, at the expression of bitter loathing on Ron's face.

"Don't be mad at him, Ron. He was only trying to protect me." She frowned at that bit for a moment, before tilting her head to the side. "Like you."

He smiled, wishing he was suave enough to do something like ruffle her hair. But no, only Bill and Charlie or the Twins could pull those things off. Besides, Ginny would probably yell at him.

"Can you hug me now?" she asked, only slightly mocking him. She opened her arms, and he reciprocated at once.

"Sorry," he murmured, holding her tightly. "New at this."

"That's okay," Ginny said, sighing. She felt a little better, having someone to lean on, and a place for her tears to fall. "You're alright at it."

A/N: Aw, I love the Weasley's! Ron and Ginny have always been my least favorites, actually, but writing this made me love them a little more. I would really appreciate any sort of feedback you can give me!


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